The present invention relates to a device and a method for filling containers with liquids. Such devices and methods have been known from the prior art for a long time. Thus, for example, filling devices are known which have a plurality of filling elements which are arranged, for example, on a filling wheel and which each fill the containers arranged on them with liquid. In this context, methods for controlling the particular filling elements are also known from the prior art. Thus, for example, it is known that the individual filling elements perform time-controlled dosing of the liquid products. A weight-dependent, for example, control as a function of a filling weight already reached would also be possible.
In filling processes it is not possible to keep the influencing variables of the filling operation constant. During the filling operation variations in the tank level, temperature variations in the products, drops in the working pressure and different filler speeds of rotation arise.
WO 97/00224 discloses a method for filling containers with a liquid which is under pressure. In this method, the pressure of a liquid is measured and passed on to a control device which, from the liquid pressure measured and the notional filling amount to be filled, controls the filling valve by means of a control signal. The control device furthermore calculates the filling amount actually filled from a totalling of part volumes which are obtained taking into account the particular liquid pressure measured, the intervals of time between the individual pressure measurements and a pressure/flow characteristic curve of the filling valve.
WO 2005/080202 A1 describes a filling machine with time-controlled dosing valves. In this, at least one master valve is provided, which has a flow meter device which is connected to a computer unit which calculates the time for the filling. The further filling valves of the unit are controlled on the basis of this flow meter device and the output data from this.
In this procedure it has proved problematic that the individual filling valves often deviate from one another and the control methods known from the prior art therefore do not take into account such a deviation of the valves with respect to one another.
The present invention is therefore based on the object of providing a method for time-controlled dosing of liquid products which also takes into account variabilities in the individual filling elements or valves.